Walnut No-Meatballs with Honey Garlic Tahini Sauce

By Marisa Moore, MBA, RDN, LD
Total Time
55 Mins
Serves
8
Serving Size
3 No-Meatballs, 1 Tbsp sauce
Course
Appetizers

DESCRIPTION

Prep Time
35 Mins
Cook Time
20 Mins
Total Time
55 Mins
Calories
250
Total Fat
19
Saturated Fat
2
Trans Fat
0
Polyunsaturated Fat
8
Monounsaturated Fat
4
Cholesterol
25
Sodium
360
Carbohydrates
16
Dietary Fiber
5
Total Sugars
4
Added Sugars
2
Protein
8
Vitamin D
0
Calcium
51
Iron
2
Potassium
146

Ingredients

Walnut No-Meatballs

  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped onion
  • 1 cup walnut pieces
  • 1/4 cup oat flour
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained (1 ½ cups)
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½-1 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for pan searing or baking
  • Optional: toothpicks for serving

Honey Garlic Tahini Sauce (Yields 1/2 cup tahini sauce)

  • 1/4 cup unsalted tahini, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup warm water
  • 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • *Note: If using salted tahini, reduce salt to ¼ teaspoon.

Preparation

Walnut No-Meatballs

  1. Add the onion to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped.
  2. Add the remaining no-meatball ingredients. Pulse until the mixture comes together and is easily formed into a ball. If the mixture is too wet, add a bit more oat flour.
  3. Roll the no-meatballs into 1-inch balls. (Tip: add a little olive oil to your hands for a cleaner rolling process.) Refrigerate for 30 minutes up to overnight. The no-meatballs can be cooked on the stovetop or baked in the oven.
  4. On the stovetop: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the no-meatballs in batches. Turn to brown evenly on all sides, about 10 minutes. In the oven: Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or prep with olive oil mister generously. Roll each ball in the olive oil. Place balls onto the baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake 25 minutes, turning once halfway through cook time.
  5. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before assembling.

Honey Garlic Tahini Sauce and Assembly

  1. Add all tahini sauce ingredients to a medium bowl. Whisk until smooth.
  2. Place no-meat balls on a serving platter. Drizzle with the tahini sauce and serve warm or at room temperature.
  3. Note: These walnut no-meatballs can also be frozen and thawed for later.